Feds can still fill their roles as public servants by volunteering while furloughed. An organization called Shutdown Startup is helping feds find volunteer work in their communities.

“Let’s capitalize on a negative situation and make a positive out of this,” said Tim McManus, vice president for education and outreach at the Partnership for Public Service.

If feds volunteer in their communities, it shows the public they “have not simply packed it in. They’re not simply sitting at home catching up on soaps. They’re actively out there trying to make a difference because that’s what they try to do every single day,” McManus said.

The federal employees deemed non-essential will be subject to furlough during a shutdown. Volunteering can be “a morale boost to someone just labeled non-essential,” McManus said.